Isaac Ting from Singapore found a welcoming place to study at MC.

From Singapore to Mississippi

I’m from Singapore, and I come from a Christian family background. I have four other siblings who are all in Singapore, except for one who is currently in Australia studying medicine. I graduated from high school in 2015, after which I served in the Singapore military for two years before heading over to Mississippi College (MC) to pursue a career in physical therapy. 

Embracing Southern hospitality

As expected, I was initially excited to be away from home and finally have a shot at being independent. It is always a flood of confusing emotions when it is time for one to leave their nest. I was no different. I was excited for what the future would hold for me, but also afraid of the challenges ahead. Having to manage your own time and self is difficult, let alone do it well. It helped that I had an aunt that I lived with, who really helped me along the way with various matters (e.g., getting my first car, familiarizing myself with the area, etc.). 

Almost immediately, you would notice the warm and welcoming attitude of the people here. It’s infectious. Southern hospitality is a real thing! It was completely foreign to me, especially coming from an Asian culture. See, in Singapore, everyone was pretty much all for themselves. Everyone was busy going somewhere, no one was spending the time to enjoy where they were. I chose Mississippi College (in Clinton, Mississippi) because of that. The culture here practically begged you to slow down and experience life for what it was. It was a very welcome change for me. 

Finding my place

It was difficult for me to thrive in Singapore. I couldn’t do school well, I was constantly stressed out with the sheer amount of work I had and how far behind I was from all my peers. Here in Mississippi College, academics is important, but so is becoming a better student. What’s the difference? A student is a person. A whole person. A person with emotions, ideas, opinions, a life. Academics is simply a matter. MC focuses on cultivating a forest, not a single tree. The professors here will see you as an adult who has other commitments. In most cases, they see you as an equal. A lot of this stems from the Christian values that MC holds fast to.

Having an older brother who studied in the USA, I shared with him about the relationship I have with my professors, and he was very impressed. The relatively small classes here at MC allow for professors to bond with their students. It isn’t rare to see students talking to professors as they walk from class to class. The professors here care for each of the students and it became more and more apparent to me as the months passed. This was also very conducive to a learning environment that the students enjoyed to be in. I find myself enjoying classes more and more with each passing year.

The students, professors, staff members — we’re all excited to meet and learn about you. It sounds cliche, but here at MC, it’s true. (We can’t lie — it’s not Christian!)